TPP deal passes first hurdle in parliament

Australia is a step closer to ratifying a massive trade pact after legislation to cement the Trans-Pacific Partnership passed the first hurdle of federal parliament.

The coalition had the backing of Labor to pass the draft laws through the lower house on Monday, sparking fierce criticism from independent MPs Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie, and the Greens' Adam Bandt.

The legislation will now be debated in the Senate, with Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie indicating her upper house colleagues will not support it without seeing independent evidence of the deal's benefits.

Former trade minister Steve Ciobo says the 11-nation deal gives Australian exporters easier access to 500 million consumers and will boost national income by $15.6 billion by 2030.

"We want it to grow in membership ... it's important partners reap benefits of the deal as soon as possible," he told parliament on Monday.

As well as agricultural products such as beef, sugar and grain, the deal was a first for "free flow of data across borders", he added, citing online reservations and telecommunications data management.

While Labor supported the deal, opposition trade spokesman Jason Clare said last week his party would remove investor-state dispute settlement provisions and put in place protections for local workers if elected to government.

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Mr Katter says free trade and deregulation have destroyed industries in Australia because local products can't compete with cheaper imports.

Mr Bandt criticised Labor for allowing the inclusion of ISDS provisions and preventing an "opportunity to send the government back to the drawing board".

However Mr Ciobo defended ISDS provisions for protecting Australian businesses overseas, denying it would see the government sued by foreign companies.

Monday's vote showed it was left to the cross bench to stand up for the public interest, said Mr Wilkie.

"It was wrong for the Labor and Liberal parties to wave through the TPP-11 because it's a flawed deal that's bad for local workers and the environment, and will let foreign companies sue Australian governments," he told AAP in a statement.

The debate highlighted the close numbers in the lower house, with the five cross bench MPs siding with the opposition on a vote on how the party would negotiate trade deals if successful at the next election.

The vote was tied 71 to 71, with protocol dictating Speaker Tony Smith's vote go to leaving legislation as is, therefore siding with the coalition.

The TPP-11 trade pact is between Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Peru and Chile, with the US pulling out of the deal when Donald Trump became president.

Mexico, Singapore and Japan have ratified the deal, with New Zealand, Peru and Canada expected to join the list in coming months.